Lubricator



E. F. TERRY LU BRICATOR May 9, 1933.

Filed June 4, 1931 INVENTOR. Ed azaZFZear y w 40 13715 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE" EDWARD F. TERRY, OF PEILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY LUBBICATOR Application filed June 4, 1931. Serial No. 542,044.

This invention relates to lubricators, but

more particularly to lubricators of the type adapted to be attached to a supply l1ne of a fluid actuated tool or mechanism and wherein the lubricant is conveyed to the cooperating surfaces of the movable parts by the pressure fluid.

One object of the invention is to assure a suitable supply of lubricant in an atomized state to the mechanism intended to be lubr1- cated and in any ofthe positions which the lubricator may occupy in practice.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawing accompanying this specificationand in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectlonal elevation of a lubricator constructed in accordance with the practice of the invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse view talcen through Figure 1 on the line 22 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

Figure 3 is a transverse View of a detall taken through Figure 1 on the line 33,looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, A designates generally a lubrlcator comprising end heads B and and an intermediate casing section D, the 1nter10r of which serves as a reservoir E for lubricant.

The heads B and C are provided with suitable bores F having their outer ends threaded for connection to pipes or conduits G which constitute a pressure fluid supply line, such as is commonly used for conveying pressure fluid from a source of supply to the machine intended to be operated. A connection through the lubricator and between the constituent members of the supply line G is provided in the form of a tubular member or pipe H shown in this instance as extending coaxially through the reservoir E and seated with its ends in the bores F of the heads B and C. The interior of the pipe H thus forms a passageway J through which pressure fluid flows from one section of the pipe G to the other. The ends of the pipe Hare preferably fitted snugly into the heads B and C to prelarger diameter than the passage W, is disvent unauthorized leakage of pressure fluid into the reservoir E.

On the casing Dis a boss K having a threaded opening L throughwhich lubricant may be introduced into the reservoir E and said opening is normally sealed by a'fille'r plug 0. 'l

The means whereby pressure fluid is conveyed into the reservoir E toeXert a pressure on the lubricant therein comprises a nozzle member P which extends throu hj bores Q and R in opposite sides of the pipe and thus through the passageway J. The nozzle mem ber P preferably carries at oneend ahead S which may seat on the side of the pipe H. The opposite end T of the nozzle member which projects into the reservoir E is thread- Y ed to receive a nut U which may be threaded tightly against the outer surface of the pipe H to maintain both itself and the nozzle member P in the correct assembled positions.

In the nozzle P is a transverse pasasge V which, inthe assembled position of the noz- .zle, lles longitudinally of the pasagewayfkl and opens on opposite sides of the nozzle. Owing to this arrangement pressure fluid may enter said passage at either end of the passage V, irrespective of the direction of air flow through the passageway J Leading from the passage V and extending longitudinally through the threaded end T of the nozzle is abranch passage W which opens into a recess X in the, nut U. In the recess X, and which recess is of somewhat posed a valve Y shown in this instance as control the flow of pressure fluidifrom the passage 1V into the recess X; 'A spring 6 in the recessacts against the valve Y. to press said valve to the seat Z. v I r In the nut U and preferably near the outer end thereof is a transverse bore 0 which communicates with the recess X and has seated in the opposite ends thereof the ends of tubes cl and e. For the purpose of illustration the tubes d and care shown as being of opposite hand but said tubes may be identical for all practical purposes. Each tube-comprises'a i being in the form of a ball which seats against a valve seat Z on the endof the n'ozzle'P; to

straight portion 7 and a curved portion or coil g arranged about the pipe H.

As a preferred form of construction the coils g are of only slightly smaller diameter than the interior of the reservoir E. Each coil has a suitable number of small ports 71, so spaced with respect to each other that,

irrespective of the position of the lubricator,

at least one port it will lie above the surface of the lubricant to assure a pressure within the reservoir E and above the surface of the lubricant equal to that in the passageway J.

Preferably the coils g are located near the having bores to receive the pipe H 'whereto they may be afixed, as for instance, by press fitting. The plates j and is maybe identical in their essential respects. Each plate is provided with an internal annular groove p of which the outer surface of the pipe H may form the inner bounding surface. From the groove radiate a plurality of'passages Q, six being shown in the present instance, and said passages 9 open with their outer ends into depressions or recesses r in the periphery of the plates. At the juncture of the passages gand the recesses r are seating surfaces 8 to accommodate valves t in the form of balls whereby communication between the reservoir E and the passages g is controlled;

In order to retain the valves 73 in the recesses .70. The rings u are of somewhat larger diameter than the plates so that they will be capable of some degree of lateral movement with respect to the plates, Each ring comprises enlarged and reduced cylindrical portions 1) and w respectively which are connected by an integral inclined portion a; the inner surface y of which constitutes a cam surface adapted, in certain positions of the lubricator, to press the valves against their seats 8.

Atthe free end of the small cylindrical portion 'w of the ring is a lateral flange 2 to form an abutment for a weight shownas being in the form of a ring 2, which is seated within the cylindrical portion to to add weight to the ring u. r

The ring 2 is preferably affixed in any suitable and convenient manner to the ringu so that the two rings will move as a unit, and in the ring 2 is a bore 3 through which the pipe H extends. The bore 3 however is of larger diameter than the pipe H to avoid contact between the ring 2 and the said pipe.

.7 In the inner ends of the plates 7' and is are bores am the reception of tubes'5 and 6 which communicate with the grooves 49 and seat with their-opposite ends in the head S of the nozzle P. A passage 7 in the head S aflords communication between the tubes 5 and 6 and has a branch passage 8 which extends longitudinally of the nozzle P and opens into a passage 9 extending transversely through the nozzle'P. The opposite ends of the passage 9 open into the passageway. J so that lubricant may be drawn from both ends of will flow through the passages V. and VV'-' and, unseating the valve Y, will flow through the tubes (Z and e and a port or ports it into the reservoir E. With the lubricator A in positions approaching the horizontal the ball valves controlling the upwardly directed passages q will drop upon their seats to close the passages 9 adjacent thereto. The remaining ball valves t, that is, those valves associated with downwardly directed passages Q will then drop away from their seats '3 toopen the passages g which they control, but will, of course, be held in close proximity thereto by the rings it which will retain, the ball valves t within the recesses '1. By seating upon the uppermost balls If, however, the rings u will exert a .pressure on the valves 25 and, owing totheir weight, the rings will assist in holding the uppermost valves tightly V to their seats.

The lubricant entering the lowermost or open passages 9 passes through the grooves 29, the tubes 5 and 6 into the passage 7, then flows past the needle valve 11 and through the passages 8 and 9 and is drawn from'the opposite ends of the passage 9 by the pressure fluid flowing through the main passageway J. By suitably adjusting the needle valve 11 a quantity of lubricant commensurate for. immediate requirements may be' introduced into .the passageway J and such lubricant will then intermingle with the pressure fluid and be carried thereby, 111 a finely atomized state,

to'the mechanism intended to be lubricated.

This introduction of lubricant into the, air stream maycontinue indefinitely and, as the supply of lubricant in the reservoir E decreases, pressure fluid flowing through the passages V and W will unseat the ball valve to the other and, being of cylindrical shape,

said lubricator may rotate freely about its axis. Inasmuch as the plates and 7c are affixed to the pipe H which itself is stationary with respect to the casing elements of the lubricator, diflerent passages g may become active for supplying lubricant to the passageway J upon each shifting of the casing.

Upon each turning of the lubricator the ball valves 5' associated with the passages shifted to a downwardly direction will fall away from their seats and other ball valves associated with upwardly directed passages will drop to their seats where they will be held by the rings a.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that in most normal positions, that is, in positions approaching the horizontal, lubricant will be supplied through a passage or passages in both of the plates and is. However, inasmuch as the areas of communication between the reservoir E and the pas sageway J, and, therefore, the amount of lubricant which may be introduced into the passageway J, is controlled by the needle valve 11 only a constant amount of lubricant may be conveyed to the mechanism intended to be lubricated, no matter how many of the passages 9 may be open to communication with the reservoir E.

Owing to the fact that lubricators of the character described are at times required to assume a vertical position and in which case the lubricant will flow to one end of the reservoir E, it is desirable that the free and uncontrolled flow of pressure fluid directly from the uppermost coil 9 through the uninnnersed passages g and communicating passages be prevented. lVhen used in this position this undesirable condition is obviated by the ring 24 associated with the topmost plate, either or is, depending upon the position of the lubricator. The ring it will then move downwardly and its inclined surface y will engage all the ball valves t and press said ball valves simultaneously to their seats 8, thus preventing communication between the reservoir and the passages g which the valves control.

I claim:

1. A lubricator comprising a casing having a lubricant reservoir and a main passageway for pressure fluid, means for conveying pressure fluid from the passageway into the res ervoir, lubricant delivery means in the reservoir having passages for conveying lubricant from the reservoir and being connected for delivering such lubricant into the passageway, individual valve means for controlling the passages, and means movable relatively to and encircling the lubricant delivery means to guide the said valve means.

:2. A lubricator comprising a casing having a lubricant reservoir and a main passageway for pressure fluid, means for conveying pressure fluid from the passageway into the reservoir, a plurality of lubricant-delivery means in the reservoir having radially arranged passages connectedto deliver lubricant-into the passageway,'individual valves to control the outer ends of the passages, and rings encircling the lubricant delivery means and being movable longitudinally with respect thereto forsimultaneously closing all the valves associated with one of the lubric'antdelivery means accordingly as one end of thecasing is elevated above the other end. a

- 3. A lubricator'comprisinga casing having a lubricant reservoir and a mainpassagepassageway, valves to control the outer endsof the passages and being movable by gravity to open and close the passages, and means encirclingthe lubricant delivery means and being movable by gravity'for simultaneously a lubri--" closing all the valves associated with cant delivery means."

7 4. A lubricator comprising a casing having a lubricant reservoir and a main passageway for pressure fluid, means for conveying pressure fluid from the passageway into the reservoir, a pair of lubricant delivery means one each of which is disposed in each end of the casing and having passages connected to deliver lubricant into the passageway, valves gravitation to open and close the passages, and means cooperating with the lubricant delivery means for guiding the valves and being movable by gravity for simultaneously Closing 311 he Valves associated with the lu bricant delivery means lying in the upper most end of the reservoir accordingly as one eng of the casing is elevated above the other en ing a lubricant reservoir and a mam passageway for pressure fluid, means for conveying pressure fluid from the passageway into the reservoir, plates disposed fixedly in the ends of the reservoir and having radially extend ing passages connected to supply lubricant to the passageway, valves in the plates movable by gravity to close the passages lying above and to open the passages lying below the transverse median line of the reservoir, and rings to retain the valves in the plates and being movable by gravity for simultaneously closing all the valves associated with a plate accordingly as one end of the casing is elevated above the other end.

6. A lubricator comprising a casing having a lubricant reservoir and a main passageway for pressure fluid, means for introducing pressure fluid into the reservoir to exert a pressure on the lubricant therein, a pair of to control the passages and being movable by 5. A lubricator comprising a casing hav lubricant delivery means in the reservoir having ports and passages connected to deliver lubricant into the passageway, valves to control communication between the reservoir and the passages, and means movable by gravity to close all the valves associated with a a lubricant delivery means located in the elevated end of the reservoir accordingly as one end of the casing is elevated above the other end. i

7 A lubricator comprising a casing having a lubricant reservoir and a main passageway for pressure fluid, means for conveying pressure fluid from the passagewayinto the reservoir, plates disposed fixedly in the ends of the reservoir and having radially extending passages connected to supply lubricant to the passageway, valves in the plates'movable by gravity to close the passages lying above and to open the passageslying below the transverse median line of the reservoir; and weighted rings to retain the valves in the plates and having inclined portions-adapt- 1 ed to simultaneously close all the valves associated with one of the platesacoordingly as one end of the casing is elevated above the other end.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

EDWARD F. TERRY. 

